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B. TAT-HAM. MACHINE FOR MARKING LINEAR MEASUREMENTS'UPON PABRIGS.

Patentd Feb; 27; 1883.

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MACHINE FOR MARKING LINEAR MEASUREMENTS UPON'FABRIGS. No. 273,189. Patented Feb. 27, 1883;

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- PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN TATHAM, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

MACHINE FORMARKING LINEAR MEASUREMENTS UPON FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 273,189, dated February 27, 1883.

Application filed July 13, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, BENJAMIN TATHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Machinery for Marking Linear Measurements upon Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in the combination, in a machine for markinglinear measurements upon fabrics, of a unit-wheel and a decimal type-wheel, with a propelling and retaining device to move forward said wheels, so as to place and retain each type successively in its proper position to print the fabric, and a spring or other analogous device connected with the type wheel or wheels to return them to their zero-points after the desired measurements shall have been made.

It consists, also, in various working parts, as pointed out in this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a face view. Fig. 3 is a section of the decimalwheel in the plane'ww, Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a sectional elevation of the same on a larger scale than the previous figures. Fig. 5 is a-sectional face view of the same. Fig. 6 is a modification of the unit-wheel.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the example shown by the drawings, the

letter A designates a frame, in which is mounted the unit-wheel B (which is also the measuring-wheel in this form of the machine) and the drum 0. The shaft 'D of the unit-wheel turns loosely in slides E E, which are fitted on vertical guides F F, secured to the frame A, Fig. 2, so that the unit-wheel bears down upon the drum G by itsinherent gravity. The weight of the unit-wheel, however, is counterbalanced, to a certain extent, by means of springs to a, which are suspended from bars I) 11, extending through the top cross-bar of the frame A, and the tension of which can be adjusted by a set-screw, a, so that the unit-wheel will produce the required impression, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The cirvision-line,with the exception of one, is secured a type, the successive types forming the fig- (No model.)

ures from 1 to 9. Opposite the blank divisionline is situated the decimal-wheel G. This wheel is mounted loosely on a stud, d, (best seen in'Fig. 5,) which is fastenedin one of the arms of the unit-wheel in such a position that line with the middle lineo'f the rim ofthe unitwheel. In the face of the decimal-wheel are secured types which form the figures from 10 to 500, successively, at uniform distances apart, the zero-point bearing a suitable mark. With the decimal-wheel is combined a ratchetwheel, e, having fifty teeth, equal to the number of figures carried by the decimal-wheel. 1n the hub of this decimal-wheel is placed a coiled-spring, H, Figs. 4 and 5, and from the back of the traverse f, Figs. 1 and 3, of said wheel projects a lug, g, which strikes a lip, h, projecting from the arm of the unit-wheel, whenever the spring H is permitted to turn the decimal-wheel back. The lug g forms the zero-stop of this wheel, and by the action of the spring H, therefore, the decimal-wheel is turned back to its zero-point whenever said wheel is free to follow the action of the spring. In this position the zero-point on the decimalwheel is in line with the blank division-line on the unit-wheel.

On the arm of the unit-wheel which carries the decimal-wheel is secured a stud, t, which forms the fulcrum for a lever, I, the outer end of which carries a pawl,j, while its inner end carries a stud, 7a, which engages with a camgroove, 1, formed in a dish, m, which is firmly secured to one of the slides E. The pawlj engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 0 and constitutes the propelling device, while a stop-pawl, n, is pivoted to the arm of the unitwheel. The moving-pawlj, however, may form both the propelling and the retaining device. The spring H is fastened at its inner end to the stud d, and at its outer end to the inside of the hub of the decimal-wheel.

Upon the outside of the hub of the decimalwheel is a tapering friction-surface, 19, made to fit a corresponding surface in the cavity q of the ratchet-wheel, and these two surfaces are kept in contact and held by a spring, s, which zero.

is compressed by the nut t, to secure the proper degree of friction. The nut t is held in place by thejam-nut a. When the spring H is wound up to a pressure beyond the friction which holds the ratchet-wheel to the decimal-wheel, the ratchetwheel will slip over the frictionsurface of the decimal-wheel and prevent any injury to the propelling and retaining device. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 5.

Upon one of the arms of the unit-wheel a zero-stop, w, is formed, in conjunction with the latch m, Fig. 2, placed upon the hearing which carries the shaft of the unit-wheel, which latch will permit the unit-wheel to pass the zeropoint in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, but not to return backward beyond the zero-point. After the unit-wheel has measured and marked a given length of fabric it is to be turned back to its zero-point and there held in position to measure and mark another length of fabric.

The drum 0 serves to support the material to be marked. It'is mounted on a shaft, J, which turns freely in slides K K, fitted to the guides L' L, which are secured to the frame A. The drum 0 is drawn up against the unit-wheel by springs o 0, and it can be depressed by means of a treadle, M, which is connected to the slides K K. The material to be marked is placed on the drum 0, which is depressed by the treadle M, or the unit-wheel B is raised in order to be able to introduce the edge or end of said material between said drum and themarking-wheels. After the material has been adjusted the treadle is released and the unit-wheel is turned in the direction of the arrow marked near it in Fig. 1. The material is drawn forward by the action of the wheel B and drum 0, and by the types on the unit- 'wheel the figures 1', 2, 3 to 9 are successively impressed upon the material to be marked, and as the unit-wheel has completed one revolution the figure 10 on the decimahwheel comes into working position, and this figure 10 is impressed upon the material, For each subsequent revolution ofthe unit-wheel the decimalwheel is propelled one tooth by the action of the cam-groove Z on the lever I and pawlj, and the figures 20, 30, &c., are successively brought into working position. After the fabric has been marked the pawls are disen gaged, the decimal-wheel returns back to its zero by the reaction of the spring H, and the unit-wheel at the same time is returned to its The operation of throwing the pawls out of gear with the ratchet-wheel and the reversal of the unit-wheel to its zero may be performed by hand, or suitable mechanism may be applied for performing this operation automatically at the proper moment by the power which is used to drive the machinery, as hereinafter pointed out.

I do not confine myself to the form of machinery herein specified. Instead of the spring, a weight may be connected with the decimalwheel bybeingsuspended from adrum mounted loosely upon the shaft ofthe unit-wheel, and connected to the decimal-wheel by suitable its zero-point upon being disconnected from the retaining device.

The unit and decimal wheels may be mounted upon the stationary frame of the machine, and so geared with a wheel for measuring the surface of the fabric as to receive from it their proper motion to print, and at the same time wind up a weight, and upon being thrown out of gear the unit and decimal wheels will be returned to their zero-points by the weight.

In lieu of the eccentric and lever and ratchets to propel and retain the decimal-wheel, it may be propelled and retained by a shaft 0on nected with the hub of the unit-wheel by suitable gearing, which, upon being thrown out of gear, will be returned by the spring to its zeropoint. These and other variations may readily be devised by any skillful mechanic to vary the application of my invention, which consists mainly in the application of a spring or other analogous device to a machine for measuring and marking the measurements of fabrics to return the type-wheels to their zeropoints.

When the unit-wheel is driven by gearing upon the frame it revolves upon a stationary shaft. It is also returned to its zero-point by a spring or weight acting upon friction-surfaces, similar to those employed to return the decimalwheel to its zero. One end of the spring is firmly attached to the stationary shaft, and the other end is similarly attached to a friction-box, the outside of which is made conical to fit a corresponding cavity in the hub of the unit-wheel. The two surfaces are held together by a spring which is compressed to any desired pressure by nuts upon thevshaft. When the unit-wheel is in gear and revolves around its shaft, the spring is wound up until its resistance overcomes the friction between the conical surfaces. Then the motion of the spring will cease and the unit-Wheel will continue its revolutions upon the friction-surface of the box. When the desired number of revolutions are completed, the unit-wheel is raised out of gear and returns to its zero by the reaction of the spring.

A weight may be substituted for the spring by attaching it to the friction-box by a cord, or otherwise, so that when the weight is raised by the revolution of the box to a certain height the unit-wheel will revolve upon the friction-surface' indefinitely; and when the unit-wheel is thrown out of gear it will be returned to its zero-point by the weight. This modification I have illustrated in Fig. 6, in which the letter B designates the unit-wheel. which is mounted loosely on its shaft D, and provided with a conical cavity, a), into which is placed the friction-box N, which also turns loosely on the shaft D. The friction between this box and the walls of the cavity a is regulated by a nut, 0 and spring W. In the cavity a is situated a coiled spring, 11*, the inner wheel, B into which gears a pinion, O mount ed on a shaft, D which is driven by hand or other suitable means. By raising the unitwheel up the gear-wheel B is thrown out of 7 gear with the pinion (Rand the unit-wheel is free to follow the action of the spring H In place of the coiled spring shown in the drawings, an airspri'ng may be used.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a machine for marking linear measurements upon fabrics, of a unit-wheel and a decimal-wheel, both carrying suitable marking devices and acting in conjunction with each other, a propelling and retaining device acting on the decimal-wheel, a spring for returning the decimal-wheel to zero when the retaining device is out of gear, and

a support for sustaining the material to be marked against the action of the marking devices.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the unit-wheel, the slides E E, which form the bearings for the shaft of .the unit-wheel, the balance -springs a, the drum 0, the slides K K, which form the bearings for the shaft of the drum,the springs 0 0, acting on said slides, and the treadle M.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described. of the unit-wheel, the decimal-wheel mounted on a pin secured in the unit-wheel, the pawl acting on the decimalwheel, the cam or eccentric for actuating the pawl, the drum 0, for supporting the material to be marked, the slides K K, forming the bearings for the shaft of this drum, and the 0 springs 0 o, acting on these slides.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the unit-wheel, the decimal-wheel actingin conjunction with the unitwheel, the spring acting on the decimal-wheel, a propelling and retaining device acting on the decimal-wheel, and the frictionally-held ratchet-wheel to prevent the propelling and retaining devicefrom being injured if the spring is wound up beyond the desiredpoint.

5. The combination of the unit-wheel, the decimal-wheel mounted on a pin secured in the unit-wheel, the pawl acting on the decimalwheel, the cam or eccentric for actuating the pawl, and the spring for returning the decimal-wheel to zero when the pawl is thrown out '5:

of gear.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a unit-wheel, a decimalwheel acting in conjunction with the unitwheel, a propellingand retaining device acting on the decimal-wheel, a spring for returning the decimal-wheel to zero when the retaining device is out of gear, and a spring for returning the unit-wheel to zero.

7. In a machine for marking linear measurements upon fabrics, the combination of a typewheel, a support for sustaining the material to be marked against the action of the typewheel, a propelling and retaining device acting on said type-wheel, and a spring for returning said wheel to its zero-point.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJN. TATHAM. [L. 8.]

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, CHAS. WAHLERS. 

